NIFL Premiership
Cliftonville 0–0 Linfield
The top two played out a scoreless draw at Solitude on Tuesday evening as Linfield remain top of the league on goal difference following their 0-0 draw with Cliftonville.
After a first half which failed to live up to the big pre-match billing, chances arrived in the second period the best of which saw Chris Johns claw away a goal-bound Ryan Curran attempt from the edge of the box.
Cliftonville may feel aggrieved following a late penalty appeal being waved away after Ethan McGee grappled Michael Newberry to the floor, but referee Ian McNabb wasn’t convinced as it finished in a goalless stalemate.
Reds’ boss Jim Magilton rued Kris Lowe’s early miss at the beginning of the second half, but can see momentum in his team’s performance.
“It was competitive and at times end to end.” he reflected.
“Kris Lowe had a great chance at the start of the second half. In tight games like that, those sorts of chances we’ve got to take. I thought in the second half, we played really well and passed the ball really well and we’re building momentum.”
𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗦 🔢
— NI Football League (@OfficialNIFL) September 17, 2024
Big midweek moments 😍#SportsDirectPrem pic.twitter.com/9Tge3aDHYC
Magilton named an unchanged starting XI from the weekend’s 5-1 win over Loughgall, but Rory Hale was able to return to the matchday squad for the first time since suffering ankle ligament damage in the Charity Shield at the start of July.
Linfield carved out the first half chance from Kyle McClean’s cross into the box that Matthew Fitzpatrick met, but his header was straight at David Odumosu.
Joe Gormley had an opening at the other end and his shot deflected off Scot Whiteside and spun behind for a corner that came to nothing.
A deflection off Luke Conlon denied Fitzpatrick another header from Joel Cooper’s cross 60 seconds later and Cooper would fire over the bar from the angle from their first shot in anger.
Midway through the half, Kirk Millar lined up a free-kick from the edge of the box, but he clipped it wide of the far and failed to test Odumosu.
Cliftonville’s best chance arrived just shy of the half-hour mark when Shea Kearney drove in a cross that evaded Joe Gormley and the half ended scoreless.
The Res began the second half much brighter as Joe Gormley sent Kris Lowe through, though the midfielder ballooned his shot over the bar.
Linfield thought they had hit the front in the 52nd minute when Ethan McGee dropped a free-kick into the area and Matthew Fitzpatrick’s flicked header was volleyed home by Joel Cooper, but the offside flag curtailed the celebrations.
Lowe and Gormley again linked up, yet neither could get their shot away and Luke Conlon saw his flicked header fall into the arms of Chris Johns.
Blues’ substitute Chris McKee almost made an immediate impact after replacing Joel Cooper. Kirk Millar lofted in a high free kick and McKee’s header dropped onto the roof of the net.
The best chance arrived approaching the mid-point of the second half, Ryan Curran peeled away from Scot Whiteside and his shot on the turn was clawed behind by Johns.
Chris McKee almost turned provider at the other end with a cross that Shea Kearney failed to cut-out and Charlie Allen stabbed over the bar.
Allen flashed a further shot inches wide of the post in the closing stages and Chris McKee headed over minutes later.
In-between times, Cliftonville had a huge penalty appeal waved away when Rory Hale floated in a corner and Ethan McGee floored Michael Newberry in attempting to prevent him getting to the ball, but referee Ian McNabb wasn’t interested.
In the end, neither side could force a winner and had to make do with a point apiece as Linfield remain on the summit above the hosts on goal difference.
CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Addis, Newberry, Conlon, Kearney, Lowe (Hale 73’), Doherty (Pettifer 86’), Piesold, Glynn, Curran (Donnelly 80’), Gormley (Steven 73’).
LINFIELD: Johns, East, Whiteside, Shields, Millar, McClean (Archer 76’), Cooper (McKee 58’), Allen, Mulgrew (Ballantyne 76’), McGee, Fitzpatrick.
REFEREE: Ian McNabb